May asserts her authority as head of cabinet committees

There are fears of a turf war between Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, and David Davis, the Brexit secretaryBen Gurr/The Times

Theresa May gave a clue to her policy priorities yesterday by announcing that she would personally chair three new cabinet committees.

The committees will focus on the economy and industrial strategy, exiting the European Union and international trade and social reform.

The announcement that she will lead the Brexit committee came amid fears of a turf war between Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, David Davis, the Brexit secretary, and Liam Fox, who heads the new department for international trade.

No 10 denied that the new bodies were set up for Mrs May to keep a close watch on the three ministers’ policy areas and stamp out any rivalry. “This idea that it is in some way to manage relations between other cabinet ministers and things,…